The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-09-10


He'll, the Weak.
"Aye, for PHYS sake, will not one
If you stand by poor fellow and save
him from going to the dogs? l can
not drink moderately. You all know
that can not stop when | once begin.
1t must be all or none, with me. If
but one of you will drink water with
me, shall have a chance"
The young Lieutenant stood and
spoke these words to his brother
officers at the mess-table, but no one
stirred, no one responded; dead ST.
lence followed his piteous appeal;
some doubtless sneered, some probably
pitied, but their pity was weaker than
their love of wine. They all drank like
men, and he drank, too, and in three
months he was in a drunkard's grave.
"For PHYS sake, doctor, do not or
der stimulants to this fair girl. You
have already, by former prescriptions,
taught her to like them. She has
struggled desperately with her enemy,
and has overcome him. But the fatal
appetite which you have created with
in her can never be eradicated; so long
as she lives, it will dog her footsteps
like the shadow of death-her sole
safety is in total abstinence. For
PHYS sake, do not prescribe alcohol to
this dear girl
Oh, ah, yes-the doctor thinks it
very sad; he is not in the habit of pre-
scribing alcoholic stimulants; but in
this particular case there is no other
medicine which will touch the disease,
and he orders a teaspoonful of rum in
milk in the morning, and Il glass of
weak claret at dinner
Years pass away, and that gentle girl
is wife and mother. She may any
day be seen in the street, her check
flushed, her step unsteady, guided
home by one of her children, with
downcast eyes and shamestricken
heart, Her life is blighted; her sons,
her daughters broken-s pirited, her hus-
band robbed of all that makes life
worth the living.
And this, because the doctor had no
pity.
"For PHYS sake, young lady, be-
come an abstainer. You know not
what poor tempted being at your elbow
will yield to the enemy, and drink, if
you drink. For PHYS sake, deny your
self this small indulgence, 1t could be
no real sacrifice to you"
Sacrifice! oh, certainly not. She is
young. She is not much in the habit
of taking wine; oh, yes, she could do
just as well without i; it is nothing to
her one way or another, but it would
be singular, and she sees no reason
why she should not take glass when
she requires livery rarely, of course.
And she has no influence. No one
would be affected by her doing so alb
surd thing as to turn teetotaler, and
nothing in the world will ever induce
her to do so. No; those who can not
restrain themselves do quite right
never to touch wine, but that is no
rule for her.
So she drinks her wine at table, and
ut the railway station she begs the
gentlemen who has escorted her there
to bring her a glass of sherry before
she starts, She has no idea, of course,
that he is reclaimed drunkard. Those
who have been saved from this degrad-
ing vice do not carry badge about
them, by which they may be recog-
Dized. He brings it to her, and she
thanks him, and waves a graceful
hdieu to him, as the train glides out of
tie station. And it bears her safely
to her home.
Elt what of him? The deadly appe-
tite has been reused within him in all
its resistless fury; his best resolutions
are swept away before it like chaff be-
fore the wind; he drinks, and he does
not return from the statioS.
For PHYS sake, dear madam, sign
the pledge. 1t will be no trouble to
you, for you are already an abstainer,
and it may be safety and happiness to
your friend, who is now unconsciously
oversterflng the dangerously mar
row line which separates modera-
ton from excess. Once beyond it,
she will be out of your reach. Sign
the pledge now, while you may pos
sibly save her."
No; oh, 10. She will not listen for
n moment. lC is true, as we say, that
it would not be the slightest sacrifice
to her; she never takes wine unless
ordered to do So. But she will not
bind herself She really sees TO neces-
sity of binding herself. On principle,
she would net take a pledge of any
sort. 1t is very well for such as feel
that they can not control themselves;
but she is thankful to say that this is
not her case.
And so her friend shrinks from what
is thus declared to be q badge of weak
ness and shame; crosses the invisible
line of moderation, and falls, as only
women can fall-because a Christian
lady had no pity.-Hsleno Richardson.
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Temperance Instruction in Michigan.
The newly-amended Scientific Tenn
perance Instruction law in Michigan
takes effect September 8, 1t provides
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